The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-20
KILLED BYACANN0N SHOT
A GUNNER TORN IN PIECES WHILE
FIRING A SALUTE.

ArtilleryInan Fuller's Fatal Step-He
Stands in Front Of His Gun and is
Blown to Fragments-One Arm Torn
From His Body and Whirled over
His Comrades Heads-The Wounded
Mans Terrible Death.
William Fuller a gunner in the Georgia
Artillery Ccolored), was literally blown to
fragments by the discharge of a cannon
during the firing of salute at the Park
extension yesterday afternoon.
The Georgia Artillery is commanded by
Capt. J. C. Simmons, and is equipped with
two field cannon. On leaving their armory
in the morning to parade with the Georgia
Battalion forty rounds were in the timber,
the intention being to fire thirty nine rounds
at the salute in honor of the adoption of the
fifteenth amendment. After the parade the
guns were wheeled into position in the Park
extension east of the Confederate monu-
ment, and the firing began shortly after
noon.
The crowd was great and the police ex-
erted themselves to keep the people back
After the first round or two the firing grew
more rapid until it was like a continuous
cannonading. The fourteenth round was
fired successfully by both guns, but on the
fifteenth the cartridge failed to explode in
No. ! cannon and the charge had to be
withdrawn. This caused a brief interval
and the people rushed up to ascertain the
trouble.
THE FATAL STEP.
An explosion from cannon No. 2 caused
them to recoil, and shudder went through
the crowd as the outlines of an artilleryman
were seen through the smoke, whrling rap
idly around and then falling to the ground
The crowd rushed to the spot, and in a sec
ond hundreds were pushing around the gun
from all parts Of the field. The artillery
mans wife, who was standing near
by watching her husband, and who
had witnessed the discharge, rushed
wildly about trying TO find the body.
As the smoke cleared away the gunner was
seen stretched out on the ground, with
ing in agony, his left arm blown completely
off and the blood pouring out in great
streams. He attempted to rise but fell back
clutching at the grass with his right hand,
and rolled over on his side. j. W. Rivers,
another gunner, sprang forward and at
tempted to raise the wounded man. He was
assisted by Capt. Simmons.
BILLY, WHAT'S THE MATTERr'
As they lifted him Fuller looked up
vacantly and said, "Billy, Billy, what's the
matterP and then, as if realizing his con
dition, cried out, ooh, Lord, have mercy on
my soul; OH" HIS right arm was con-
vulsively raised in agony, his lips trying to
utter word, his eyes closed and with
gasp, he fell back dead.
For a moment the crowd and the artillery
men were stunned, and were unable to fully
comprehend the accident. AS soon as
he could regain his self-possession, Capt.
Simmons formed his men in circle and
driving back the crowd, collected the scat
tered fragments of flesh and uniform and
decently covered the body until an ambu-
lance arrived.
Fuller he'd stepped in front of the cannon,
and was facing it when it was fired The
charge tore off his left arm close to the
shoulder, leaving the bone protruding from
the stump, and also tore an ugly hole in his
side, below and just back of the left Shout
der blade. His belt was cut, his saber blown
off, and his uniform from the waist up was
cut to pieces, leaving the skin bare.
THE CoRoNER's INQUEST.
AS soon as possible the body was taken to
| Fuller'S home, on Jefferson street, where
Coroner Dixon impaneled the following
jury; j. A. Sykes, William Carr, G. A
Dawson, Barcus Dawson, L. B. Toomer
and w. j. Mahoney. Capt J. G. Simmons,
| George Fleming, Sergt. Charles Brown, in
charge OF No. 2 gun, and j. w. Rivers, No
! 3, were the principal witnesses Their teSti-
mony was all corroborative, and was sub
stantially as follows: Fuller was No. l on
| the gun, standing just back of the muzzle
and about feet from the wheel, on the
| right hand side. 1t was noticed by all who
testified that the No 2 gunner received the
cartridge, placed it in the gun and returned
| to his position. Fuller rammed it home and
| stepped back into his position. Sergt.
Brown then placed the primer in the vent
and returned TO his position, holding the
firing lanyard in his hand. The Corporal
gave the word ready" and then, after a
very brief interval the Captain gave the
order, mo. 2, fire."
STEPPED IN FRONT OF THE GUN.
! The Captain testified that Just after the
command was given, in the very breath al
most, he saw Fuller leave his position, and,
| as Rivers testified, with the rammer in hand
step nearly in front of the mu2zle. The
lanyard was pulled at the command and
Fuller stepped in front just in time to re-
ceive the full charge,
The jury asked many questions of the
witnesses and viewed the body, after which
they rendered a verdict that the deceased
came to his death by accidently stepping in
| front OF No. 2 gun, while in the act of firing
a salute" and exonerated the officers and
men from all blame.
The general impression is that the guns
were fired so rapidly that Fuller became ex-
| tltett, anu Wueil Jile ueiay occurred on no.
l gun, became confused, and at the com
mand fire" mistook it to mean load, and
thus stepped to his death.
lie was aged 20, and leaves widow. He
was a drayman and is spoken of as a very
intelligent, sober and industrious man.
The parade broke up after the accident
and the companies marched to their armo-
ries Fuller's funeral win take place at Q
o'clock this morning. He will be buried
with military honols. The Georgia Artil-
lery has been organized since 1877, and this
is the first accident that has ever befell any
of its members while on duty.